Implement adjusting device



Nav. 6, 1956 D. M. MORRIS I 2,769,579

IMPLEMENT ADJUSTING DEVICE Filed March 30, 1954 1D y PW@ United States Patent ADUSTNG DEVICE i'David AMorris, Richmond, ind., .assignor to ,Internafional 'Harvester Company, a corporation of New l ersey Application March 3.0, 1954, Serial No..419,782 -12 Claims. (Cl. 1222-,17 6) This invention relates vtocontrol apparatus for agricultural ,materialdispensers, andmore particularly concerns ,novel control mechanism for distributors of seed,'fertilizer .andthe like.

Thevinvention is described, herein infits application to a kfertilizer distributorof-the trail-behindtype. A machine `of this type. comprisesv generallyva wheel supportedframe .extending A.transversely of the direction lof travel, and .a hitch frames by which the implement is connected to a .tractor :or-other propelling force. An elongated trans- ,verselyextending hopper is jmountedon-the Vframe and extends upwardly therefrom.

.The .dispensing apparatus, per se, of a machine of this .,.type vforms no 'part Vof this invention. VForvconstructional details of ahopper of thistype, reference may be had to .copending applicationSerial No. 367,243, filed July yli),

19.53. .The hopper-is provided with a plurality/.of openings .in the 4bottom-through-which Vfertilizer or 'otherfmate- `rial is.dischar ged. A movable plate covering .the bottom of .the hopper Iis i provided with registering v openings, and .movementfof theplaterad;'usts the size Vof the 'discharge .opening-bvcovering part-of the opening in the hopper bottom, or it closes the openingentirely. The regulation .of the dischargeof fertilizer isggenerally under 4the controlof. the operator of the-tractoror other-Vehicle and ,is Ausually.accomplished by means-of an elongated lever v.mountedon the'hitch frame near thetractor vandrextending-.verticallywupwardly-to be grasped'by the operator and vmoved backwardand forward about apivot on the hitch frame, linkageabeingprovided to'connect thelever and the actuating mechanism forthe adjustable bottom .'plate. .It happens'particularly with fertilizer ldistributors that residues. are difficult of removal ywhen it is desired Vto clean thehopper. For ease of access the entire machine is.turned overso that it rests upon'the top of the hopper. .In these circumstances the adjusting lever referred -to Y becomes a handicap in that it unbalances the-machine or tilts itfto anundesiredrangle.

A seriousdifliculty encountered Vwith the conventional hand lever-.controls for feed openings-also results from the tendency of the lever to creep, under severe vibration conditionsencountered in operation, from an open position of the-feed discharge mechanism to a closed position thereof.

Theprincipal object of the present invention is, therefore, the provisionof an improved regulating apparatus for controlling the feed openings in a fertilizer distributor .andthe like, wherein means are provided to odset the -effects of vibration occurring during operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved control apparatus or regulating mechanism for the hopper discharge openings, .which is accessible to the tractor operator but at the same time does not handicapkthe operator when he wishes to overturn the implement for cleaning purposes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine of the type described having elongated ad- Vjusting apparatus accessible to the operator of the propel- Vframe13,connectedat its re .braced byv a diagonal` strap .1.4.

.ling 4vehicle V.wherein Emeans .are j,provided ,by 4VWhh stthe adjusting. lever maybe .moved to aposition, approaching parallelism with the.hitch frame of rthe implement eto forI cleaning, and theV like.

Other objec ts, and advantages.; of thefinvention will .become clear from thefollowingdetailed.description .when

avoid fthe. difficulties, incident .-tvo Voverturning the machine Vread in .conjunction :withthe accompanying l.dran/ings,

overturned forcleaning, repairiiig,.andthe` like.

'Referringto thedrawingsit willbeobserved thatthe fertilizer distributor with .which .this invention .is .con-

cerned,comprisestafframel() supported bylaterally spaced wheels il, ,only one `-of avhich-is.shown, and rcarrying a transverselyt extending elongated fertilizer. hopper.V i2. .The machineis provided with aforwardlpextending lhitch ,ar end. to .the `:hopper ,and

' The Vconstruction ,of lthe. hopperrand its.discharge.;open ingsas well as vthe regulating.bottomfplateetherefonmay ,be.of. more or less conventional construction,..although for a particnlarconstruction reference.,may be nadie-the appending' U. LS. .patentgapplication ,above lrefer-red hto. Generally it maybe vnotedthat the.bottomplatetis-ldesignated by the numeral 115, and Eis movablelongitndinally of theV hopper torgulate theisize.of.the..diseharge openings, through theintermediaryofan .actuating member 16 'mounted on thehitchffrarne-lS adjacent the A.hopper and suitably connected to/the bottom plate by not shown.

The hitch frame is'T-,s'haped and consists.of,a.pair ;of angle barsprovide'd withbottom anges .17. and;apair..l of closely spaced upwardly,projectinglanges18. A,pa ir of vertically spaced .plates 19 are welded .to...the .forward end ofthe hitchframe -13 and are provided `withregistering openingsZOAadapte'd torec'eivea hitch'pinlby which the machine maybeconnected .to.thedrawbar `22 ofa tractor.

`Means accessible to 'the tractor operatorfrom ,his `seat thereon for transmitting motion yto theactuating .member 16 is provided by control 4apparatusnowto be described. A pair of laterally spaced lugsY 23 are welded to. andtproject upwardly from the Aupstanding.anges L18 of the hitch'frame. "These lugssprovide vsupportsfor a transversepivotV pin V2,44 upon Which,extending. downwardly between .the lugs '.23 and the `ilanges 18 of the, hitchframe, is mounted a rockerrinrtheform of theshort. lower` section 2S ofratwo-partfadjusting lever .generally designated ,at 26. Part .of .the lowerI lever section ZSeXtends downwardly from-the hitch frame. andis .connectedby alink .27 Withrthe actuator 16. The-actuator 16 is'preferably in theform of a crank member wh-ichymay be lrocked in opposite directions `to move the bottom .plate -inzopposite directions for adjusting the discharge vopenings between open and 'closedrpositions The upper lever section is an elongated lever'partZS,

v`theupper end. of which extends -to a positionwithin reach of the Vvehicle operator, andthe lowerend of 'which is bifurcated by the provision of an olset leg;29 connected AtoV the mainpart of rthelever so as-to forman abutting shoulder'30 which'serves 'as-a stop,' as will Vhereinafter appear. The 'lower end ofthe upper lever"section 28 is linkage,

also mounted upon the VpivotV pin 24 so ythatrit rocks upon the same axis as the Ylower lever section 25.

In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 2 Vthe lever 2 6 has been swung forwardly, and in the machine described this happens to be the closed: position Vfor the hopper discharge openings. Inthis position the upper section 28 of the lever has engaged, with the abutment 30, the rear upper edge ofthe lower lever section or rocker 25 so that the two lever parts rock as one. An arm 31 comprising laterally spaced lugsis welded to the lower part of the upper lever section 28 and extends forwardly and downwardly ytherefrom as indicated clearly in Fig. 2. The spaced members of this arm 31 confine the upper end of the lower lever section 25 and guide it in the relative movement of the parts, the space provided .Y between the lugs of armV 31 and between Vshoulder 30 and pin 32 serving as a slot permitting lost motion be.

tween the rocker 25 and lever section 28.

Movement of the upper lever section 28 relative to the lower section 25 is limited in the contines of the arm members 31 by the stop shoulder 30 at one end and a stop pin 32 having a transverse portion receivable in any of several pairs of registering openings 33 in the arm 31. In the yposition of the parts shown in Fig. 2 the upper lever section 28 is biased against the lower lever section 25 by Ya spring 34 anchored at 35 to the hitch frame at one end, and at its other end to a cotter key or the like 36. The parts are so arranged thatV in this position the line of force of 'the spring 34, that is, a line drawn through the anchor point 35 and the cotter key 36, is below the axis of the pivot pin 24 so that the spring urges the upper lever section forwardly against the lower lever section.

As previously pointed out, one ofthe principaldisadvantages of the prior one-piece lever constructions has been that during operation, with the feed openings in the Y hopper bottom in open position, vibration causes the lever to creep yforwardlyl and gradually close the feed openy ings. In the position of the parts, such as indicated in Figfl where the feed is open, the line of force of the spring 34 has moved above the axis of the pin 24 so that Ythe upper lever section 28 is'swung rearwardly of theV lower lever section 25, and the latterk abuts the pin 32. v.

In this position of the parts vibration cannot causeY the lever 26 to move forwardly to close the feed openings.

When the implement is Ito be overturned for cleaning, the pin 32 maybe removed and placed in one of the rearward openings in the lugs 31 so .thatethe lever part 28 may rock rearwardly the maximum extent to a position such as is indicated in Fig. 3, approaching parallelism with the hitch frame 13. In this position of the parts the lever section 28 is out of the way and does not interfere with the proper positioning and balance of the distributor during removal of the bottom plate and cleaning the residue from the hopper.

YFrom the foregoing description it should be'clear that a regulating lever apparatus for a fertilizer distributor or the ilike having novel characteristics has been devised.v

It should be noted that the operator of the propelling vehicle may utilize the lost motion provided by the spacing between the stops represented by the shoulder 30 andthe pinY 32 in the manner described, or he may render the two lever sections represented' bythe rocker 25 and the e1on gated hand-operated section 28, rigid and operative as a unit, by placingthe pin 32 in the rearmost opening 33 in the lugs 31, bearing against the forward edge of the rocker V25.

While the invention has been describedrin its preferredV vembodiment it lshould be understood that modifications may be made therein without departing from the Yspirit Vof the invention or the sc ope of the appended claims. What isclaimed is: Y

Y Vl. In agricultural distributors and the like having a supporting frame including a hitch frame `for connection to a tractive vehicle, and a vhopper extending Vupwardly from the frame having discharge openings therein `and ber for operating the'latter upon rocking ithe rocker, anV

elongated lever pivotally mounted on said hitchframe for swinging in the same direction as and relative to the rocker, abutment Ameans on the lever engageable with the rocker in one direction of movement of the lever, and means providing lost motion connecting the lever Vto said rocker to limit the relative movement .of the lever inthe other direction.

2. In agricultural distributors and the Alike having a supporting frameY including a hitch frame for connection to a tractive vehicle, and a hopper extending upwardly from the frame having discharge openings therein and closure means for regulating the ow of material, an actuating member associated with the hopper for operating the closure means, a rocker pivotally mounted on the hitch frame operatively connected to said actuating member for operating the latter upon rocking the rocker, an elongated lever pivotally mounted on said'hitch frame for swinging in the same direction as and relative to the rocker, abutment means on the lever engageable with the rocker in one direction of movement of the lever, :and means serving as a slotted guide carried by the lever arranged to slidably receive said rocker and providing lost motion accommodating relative movement Vof the lever and rocker. Y

3. In agricultural distributors and the like having a supporting frame including a hitch frame for connection tov a tractive vehicle, and a hopper extending upwardly from theiframe having discharge openings therein and closure means for regulating the flow of material, an actuatingV member associated with the hoppery for yoperatingrvthe closure means, a rocker pivotally mounted on the hitch Vframe operatively connected Vto said actuating member for operating thelatter upon rocking the rocker, an elongated lever pivotally mounted on said hitch frame for 4. In agricultural distributors and the like ,having aV supporting frame including a hitch'frame for connection to a tractive vehicle, and a hopper extending upwardly from the frame having dischargeV openings therein' and closure means for regulating the flow. ofrmaterial, 'an actuating member associated Ywiththe hopper for operating the closure means, a rockerpivotally mounted on the hitch frame operatively connected to said actuating'memf ber for operating thel latter upon rocking the rocker, an

elongated lever pivotally mounted on said hitch frame for swinging in the same direction and relative to the rocker,V Y abutment means on the lever engageable with the rocker,

in one direction of movement Vof the lever, means serving as a slotted guideV carried by the lever to slidably receive said rocker and having abutments at each `end to engage the lever after predetermined Vswinging thereof relative to the rocker between twooperating positions, and aV Y spring connected to the hitch frame and to said lever and eiective in either position of the lever to'hold it against the respective ofsaid abutments. Y. Y

5,. In agricultural distributors and the like having a supporting frame including a hitch Yframe for connection to aV tractive vehicle, and a hopper extending upwardly from Y the frame having discharge openings therein and closure',

means for regulating the flow ofmaterial, an-actuating member associated withy the hopper for operating .the

closure means, means serving as a pivot pin on the hitchV frame near the tractor, and an operating lever mounted on the pivot pin for rocking on a transverse axis, said lever comprising a relatively short lower lever part mounted on said pivot pin and operatively connected to said actuating member for operating the latter upon rocking the lower lever part, an elongated upper lever part mounted on said pin extending upwardly therefrom, and an arm axed to said latter lever part said arm having spaced apart portions to receive and confine the lower lever part therebetween, the upper lever part engaging the lower lever part to rock the latter in one direction, and a stop carried by said arm engageable with the lower lever part upon rocking the upper lever part in the other direction, the spacing between the upper lever part and said stop providing sulcient lost motion to accommodate swinging the upper lever part to a position approaching parallelism with the hitch frame.

6. ln agricultural distributors and the like having a supporting frame including a hitch frame for connection to a tractive vehicle, and a hopper extending upwardly from the frame having discharge openings therein and closure means for regulating the ow of material, an actuating member associated with the hopper for operating the closure means, means serving as a pivot pin on the hitch frame near the tractor, and an operating lever mounted on the pivot pin for rocking on a transverse axis, said lever comprising a relatively short lower lever part mounted on said pivot pin and operatively connected to said actuating member for operating the latter upon rocking the lower lever part, an elongated upper lever part mounted on said pin extending upwardly therefrom, and an arm aixed to said latter lever part said arm having spaced apart portions to receive and confine the lower lever part therebetween, the upper lever part engaging the lower lever part to rock the latter in one direction, a stop carried by said arm engageable with the lower lever part upon rocking the upper lever part in the other direction,

' the spacing between the upper lever part and said stop providing suflcient lost motion to accommodate swinging the upper lever part to a position approaching parallelism with the hitch frame, and a spring connected to the hitch frame and to said arm, a line between the connecting points of said spring being movable to opposite sides of the axis of said pivot pin to bias the upper lever part in corresponding directions.

7. The invention set forth in claim 5, wherein said stop is adjustable to vary the range of movement of the upper lever part relative to the lower lever part.

8. The invention set forth in claim 5, wherein the lower end of the upper lever part is bifurcated for mounting upon the pivot pin and to provide an abutment for engagement with the lower lever part.

9. The invention set forth in claim 5, wherein the spaced apart portions of said arm are provided with a plurality of registering openings, and said stop is a removable pin insertable in said openings to adjust the relative movement of said lever parts.

10. In agricultural material distributors and the like having a transverse wheeled frame including a forwardly extending hitch frame for connection to a tractor and a hopper, means for regulating the ow of material from the hopper comprising an actuating member on the hopper, means serving as a pivot pin mounted on the hitch frame, a rocker member mounted on said pivot pin for rocking movement on a transverse axis operatively connected to said actuating member to regulate the flow of material, and projecting upwardly from said hitch frame, a lever mounted on said pivot pin and having a part engageable with said rocker to rock the latter upon movement of the lever in one direction, a pair of lugs aixed to the lever extending angularly therefrom to receive said rocker therebetween and having registering openings therein, a stop pin receivable in said openings and engageable with said rocker upon rocking of the lever in the other direction, and a spring anchored at one end to the hitch frame and at the other end to said lugs, the line of force of said spring being above the axis of said pivot pin to hold the stop pin against said rocker, and below said axis when the rocker engages said part on the lever.

ll. The invention set forth in claim 10, wherein additional openings are provided in said lugs to receive said stop pin to vary the relative movement between the lever and said rocker.

l2. The invention set forth in claim l0, wherein said stop pin is removable to accommodate pivoting of the lever to a position approaching parallelism with the hitch frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,937,232 Kuehling Nov. 28, 1933 2,563,165 Gandrud Aug. 7, 1951 2,618,405 Morris Nov. 18, 1952 

